


Forgive

by MysticallyGallavich



Series: Forgiveness [1]
Category: Shameless (US)
Genre: Forgiveness, Friendship, Heartache, Love, M/M, Moving Away, Moving On, Sadness, post 5x12
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-30
Updated: 2016-08-30
Packaged: 2018-08-12 00:45:04
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,215
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7913815
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MysticallyGallavich/pseuds/MysticallyGallavich
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After 5x12, Mickey's family becomes worried for him because he starts to be depressed. Svetlana decides to bring Mickey away. They come back with Yev only 19 years later because Mandy and Lip are going to be married. Lip and Mandy have told Ian about Mickey and he has decided to getting back together with him. He will try to flirt with Mickey but Yev will protect Mickey and will say to Ian to leave them alone.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Forgive

**Author's Note:**

> Didn't follow this to a T, but hope you like it anyway. :)

After 5x12, Mickey's family becomes worried for him because he starts to be depressed. Svetlana decides to bring Mickey away. They come back with Yev only 19 years later because Mandy and Lip are going to be married. Lip and Mandy have told Ian about Mickey and he has decided to getting back together with him. He will try to flirt with Mickey but Yev will protect Mickey and will say to Ian to leave them alone.

\---------------------

Nineteen years is a long time to be away from somewhere or even someone, but that is how long it had been since Mickey Milkovich had stepped foot on the ground known as the southside of Chicago. After his break-up with Ian Gallagher, he had become depressed, inconsolable really, and after months of watching him lose his mind, Svetlana had had enough and convinced Mickey that they needed to move. That he needed a fresh start and he had agreed, if only to get her to shut up about it already. So they moved. They moved to California. Why California? He supposed it was so far away that Svetlana had known he would agree. and So that's how it went. and now?

Now his sister had gotten her life together and had fallen back in love with one annoying Gallagher, who at a time he had despised but now after a few visits from the couple he had found the energy to not mind so much.  They never asked him to come home. Lip avoided conversations that included Ian but very rarely. He would slip something in, just to let Mickey know that his brother was alive and fine, and Mickey appreciated that. He knew that Lip knew him well enough to know that he needed to know his ex was fine, but didn't need any further details other than that. So after nineteen years, away when his sister informed him that she and Lip were finally after eight years of being back together officially that they were gonna get married the he heard her pause. she wanted to ask, but he knew she didn't. That she was afraid.

"I want to ask....but..."

"But he'll be there. Is he your best...person," he asks and she sighs.

"No...He's Lips best man. We...had an argument over it, but he won. it is his brother. I...I wanted you to give me away....but I understand...if you can't. I can find someone else. Ask stupid Iggy." She says but he can tell she wants him to be there, needs him there for her day.

"Who's the maid of honor."

"Debbs."

"Oh okay. wow. how is she?" he asks.

"Great. She's wonderful. She asked about you." She informs him and he sighs.

"I'll fucking be there." He says.

"What?!!? You fucking will?"

"Of course I will Mands. I will be there, I can deal with him for one day. and I promise not to kill your best friend but you never ask me to come again okay?" and she of course agrees.

So here he is, with Svetlana and his son...Yev, who is now almost 21 in a couple of days, who thankfully was on vacation from UCLA, that's right, his kid was in college, fucking weird. He steps into the pavement and walks with the both of them, making his way down the street. This is going the be fucking fantastic.

\---------------------

"You promised to behave yourself. Leave him alone." Mandy says to Ian who just nods. Mickey is going to be here, any minute. He promised. He did. That he would keep his distance, that he would let Mickey be. But how can he? It's Mickey and if Mickey wouldn't have left....No. He promised so he stands up.

"I'll catch you guys later." He says. If he was gonna keep his promise. standing around waiting for Mickey to show up was a bad idea. He took off and made it down the street he ran smack into someone. "Shit. I'm so sorry..." the kid he ran into just looks at him and glares a little.

"Yevgeny!! come on! we're late." He hears the voice but he doesn't see the face, suddenly he can't fucking breathe.

"Y...Y...oh." and Ian puts his head down. "Sorry for bumping into you." Ian just says because what is he supposed to say. Wow, you're all grown up, you look like your father? I held you when you were a baby, I loved you until I went crazy. Nope, not anything he could say.

"Stay away from my father." The boy spoke and Ian's eyes widened. He knew him.

"What?" Ian asks to clarify.

"I know who you are. I'm not stupid. Stay the hell away from him. He's better without you and will continue to be better. Got it?" The kid's anger is that of a very protective son, a boy only gets that protective over his father, and some guy he doesn't remember meeting if....fucking hell. What is he supposed to say?

"Yevgeny!!" The voice booms again and Ian jumps.

"You should go yeah? See you." Ian says and shakes his head and takes off. If he kept standing there with the kid, Mickey would come back there and what would he think with the kid glaring daggers at him like that. How the fuck was he going to go to this dinner tonight or any of the other wedding shit? He should have backed out of the whole thing.

  
What's worse than seeing your ex at your sister's wedding. Spending the whole week with him or him refusing to show up because of you. Mickey wasn't really sure but Ian was late and Mandy was freaking out.

  
“I'll go find him.” Kenny, Mandy's very flamboyant co-worker offers, and Mandy rolls her eyes.

“What was the agreement, Ken?” She asks. Who was this fuckhead?

  
“I didn't offer to fuck him in the alley. Geez, Mandy.” He says taking off.

“Fuck. He's gonna kill me. Lip!!!!” She calls.

“What babe?” He asks turning from his friend. And Mickey is curious.

“Find your brother before Kenny does.” She says.

“God, not again. What is with that guy? How many fucking times…” He groans picking up his phone.

“Carrot boy have a stalker? He fuck him and leave him?” Svetlana bites and Mickey tenses. Just what he needs. To see Ian with some deranged hookup.

“I need a cigarette.” He announces and steps outside just in time to see Ian talking to the Kenny fuck. The redhead does not look happy. In fact, he looks downright pissed off. He can hear Ian screaming.

“Oh my god Kenny! Go away. I am not in the mood for this shit right now.”

“Come on Ian. You know you want me.” Kenny says and Mickey thinks he'll puke.

“No, I don't. Didn't want you the last time you asked or the hundred before that. What would have changed?”

“Desperation does things to a man,” Kenny responds.

“I'm not that desperate.” Ian groans and runs his hands through his hair trying to side step him.

“You will be. After a week of pining for your lost love. You'll be all over me.”

“Go fuck yourself,” Ian says angrily. So Mickey steps in.

“I believe you heard the man,” Mickey says and Ian looks up shocked. Staring at Mickey.

"This is a private conversation douchebag. it doesn't involve you."

"Actually I do believe it does. I believe I heard my sister tell you to leave him the fuck alone. So step off before I fucking remove you." Mickey bites out. God the southside took mere seconds to bring the old Mickey out of him and to fucking defend Ian like some jealous boyfriend. The fucking hell?

"You...You're him. Seriously? Ian? this is why you don't date? that's him? Whatever." Kenny then stalks off. What was that supposed to mean? Ian doesn't date? Since when?

"Uhh. thanks." Ian says and looks down.

"Yeah, no problem. Sounded heated. better get in there. Mandy is freaking out." Mickey says and Ian nods.

"Yeah." He says and walks past Mickey, but Mickey catches that sad look in his face. That broken look and he has to shake his head before walking back into the building.

\--------------------------

Ian stays as far away from Mickey as he can, thankfully Mandy kicked Kenny out. God he hated that fucking idiot. but he stood on the far end of Lip trying to pay attention to something, anything. "Ian!" he is snapped out by Mandy's voice.

"Yeah?"

"Did you get everything done that I asked you to?" she asks and he goes over his mental checklist.

"Yeah Mands, all done," he says and she nods. It's another twenty minutes of awkward detail whatever before they all head out to get dinner at Mandy and Lip's. Great.

"Maybe I should..." Ian starts but receives a glare from Mandy. "Nevermind, all good. meet you at the house then." she looks at him and he mouths meds to her and she nods.

"But you'll be there?" she asks, her whole demeanor softening.

"Yes. I promised. I'll be there for whatever you need this week." he says and walks to his car to find his meds and get to Mandy's. He drives there first of course because he can't do this and drive. Everyone is already inside and he just sits in his car and stares at the pills. he sighs and takes the things and sits with his head back against the seat trying to breathe in. Until he hears the knock on the window and looks up and sees Svetlana.

"You gonna act like this all week? Trying to reel him back in?" She asks. and Ian looks over at her, and he knows she's being protective but right now, with his whole body shaking and it's been a long fucking day, and he just rolls his eyes and unlocks the door and motions for her to step back as he steps out and leans against it.

"Go ahead," he says.

"Excuse me?" she asks.

"Go ahead, yell, scream, warn me off, tell me to fucking stay away, tell me whatever you want, and then punch me, threaten me with a hammer, that was always fun. and then leave me the fuck alone." He snaps at her. When she says nothing he makes his way to the house and walks in, when everyone looks up, Mandy eyes him. and he gives her a look before going up the stairs and making his way down the hall. there's a room, that he always goes to and he opens it, to try to hide out and there are suitcases there, fucking hell. he just sinks down. fuck it. nobody's gonna want their shit anytime soon anyway. He lets his tears fall, for everything he's ever done, for everything that this week was about to do to him, and for his fucking hand shaking and not being able to move.

He lets it all out until the tears stop. and he wipes his eyes, then he walks back down the hall to the bathroom and washes his face and stands there for a minute. and then he puts a huge fake smile on his face and walks down the stairs and back to the living room. He holds the fake smile all while people are having conversations. He laughs when he needs to and this is what he has to do, even if he promised he wouldn't again. But he had to. One week of pretending he was fine. He could do this. He could.

  
“Why are you doing that?” Mickey asks Svetlana referring to the daggers her and their son are giving Ian.

“What?” She asks fake innocently.

“Just let it go. If I can stand here and be fine you can too. Both of you stop it.” He warns.

“Little fucker snapped at me. Like he has any right.” She says.

“What did you say to him?”

“What?” She asks.

“Svetttt. I know you. You go outside and he comes in all pissed off and comes back down here with bloodshot eyes and this big annoying smile, that same smile he used to get…well, it's fake as hell, is the point. Now, what did you say?” He whispers harshly.

“Nothing.” She says defiantly.

  
Ian is pulled in the other room right before dinner by Lip. “Look, I know you promised Mandy, but if this is too much…”

“I'm fine.” Ian says with a tight smile.

“Ian. You promised me too remember. To never lie and fake it. You promised to always be honest with me.” Lip reminds him.

“Lip. I have to do this. And I have to be okay. It's just a week. This is my own shit. He didn't leave me, and they all have every right to hate me. I fucking hate me. I've been hating me for years, I just have to smile for a fucking week and they leave, and everything goes back to normal." he says.

"And you continue to hate yourself because it's never gonna be resolved."

"I promised." He says

"Yes I know. and I promised too. I promised you to never tell him how fucking dead inside you were, and I kept that. Every time I've mentioned you it was to say you were fine because technically you are alive and medicated. But you aren't fine Ian, you haven't been fine in almost 20 years, and that kills me. it kills me that you have spent the last 18 years beating yourself up, and suffering because you feel like that's all you fucking deserve. Just tell him you're  sorry or some shit. This is your last chance to say whatever. and I know you promised and I promised and we all fucking promised, but this is it, he wont come back here. This is your last chance to say whatever it is weighing you down." Lip says and sighs. Mandy is gonna kill him.

"I know it is. But this isn't the time. It's your wedding. and I deserve this, so just let it go."

\------

Dinner is quiet at first but finally, the conversation starts, Ian keeps looking at Mandy who seems concerned but still holds this protective sister look on her face. He looks at Mickey every now and then but finally looks back down at his plate and tries to eat.

Mickey looks at Ian. This isn't what he expected. He expected Ian to be happy and fine and for it to kill him but ultimately he would go home and everything would be fine. This shit was almost worse than depressive Ian because this wasn't the disorder it was just him and he could see him staring at him every so often and look back down. He couldn't fucking take this shit. However, soon after everyone cleared out  
he could breathe again.

  
It's a couple of days later and a day full of setting things up and running around frantically. Ian finally gets a moment to himself and goes outside to smoke and try to breathe. As tears start falling down his face after a day of seeing the family he once had, he hears footsteps behind him and quickly wipes the tears away.

“Can I ask you something?” It's Yevgeny.

“Sure. Yevvy…I mean Yevgeny.”

“Why did you do it?” The boy or rather now man asks him.

“What do you mean?”

“You broke my dad's heart. He loved you.” He states and Ian sucks in a breath.

“He told you that?” He asks.

“No, you aren't mentioned. It's like a house rule. But he did. And you left him. But why? You loved him too right? I'm not a kid anymore. I have eyes and this crying outside isn't because you're so happy for aunt Mandy and uncle Lip.”

“I'm poison.” Ian states.

“What?”

“That's why I left because I'm poison and he deserves better. He always did. I got…sick. And he deserved better than me. What I did….was all sorts of fucked up. But I'm poison.” Ian states.

“Sick how?”

“I have…bi-polar disorder. Have to take meds to stand up straight really. Every day.” He says. He doesn't know why he's telling Yev this. Maybe because he doesn't want to lie.

“So he couldn't handle it?” He asks.

“No, he could. I couldn't. I didn't want to be medicated. I didn't want him babying me. I didn't want a lot of things that sound stupid now. Especially because he's all I ever wanted or needed. But that's all over now. I made my choice. My fucked up, foggy brain made my choice and I live with it.”

“Are you happy with it? Your choice.”

“Not one single day since you left have I been happy with anything.” The kid doesn't say anything else and Ian gets up and walks back to the group of people.

  
The next day Mickey notices his son eyeing him like he wants to say something he isn't quite sure how to voice.

“What is it?”

“I've never asked you, dad. In all these years I didn't because why would I want to bring it up. It made you so sad. Every time something reminded you of him or this place. I think I have to now though. I always just thought he was this horrible man because that's what he was. I never understood why aunt Mandy still talked him, then I figured it was because of Lip. And when we got here I warned him off. Told him to stay away.”

“You did what?!” Mickey snaps.

“But then I see him and he isn't like I imagined him. He just looks like a man who's broken. A broken man who hates everything. Mom said he's good at pretending but I don't think he is. So I asked him.” Yev says and Mickey sighs.

“Asked him what bud?”

“Why he did it? Why he would break your heart when it was obvious he was hurting too.”

“Do I want to hear the answer kid?” He asks. He would tell anyone else to fuck off, even Ian if he tried to talk to him about this. It took him so long to beable to deal with this. But Yev was right. He had never asked. Not since he was really little. Him mentioning this now means that whatever Ian says Yev thinks he needs to know. That it's important.

“He said because he's poison. He said more, but he kept repeating that he was poison and you deserved better. He also said he hasn't been happy a day since we left. I just..You should know that." Yev says and he hugs his dad and makes it upstairs to his room that he was staying in.

Mickey didn't think before walking out the door. the wedding was in four days, and he was stuck here regardless of whether he talked to Ian or not, so why not throw himself in the fire. Poison? Where was he going? He didn't have Ian's fucking address. Mandy would freak and then it hit him. and he texted Mandy for Debbie's number. A wedding surprise he said. Fuck now he had to come up with something. Of course Debbie helped with a promise of keeping quiet. After warning him to be careful, that Ian was fragile. He rolled his eyes but maybe she was right. How would he know?

\---------------

Ian opened the door to the annoying fucking knocking. After three days of dealing with people he just wanted a fucking nap to recharge and deal with his shitty situation tomorrow with a fake smile and quiet tears, but when he swung the door open to tell whoever would dare to not leave him alone off, there stood Mickey Milkovich.

"Mickey? w...wha....everything okay? Mandy okay?" he asks because why the fuck else would Mickey show up here. Mickey hated him. Rightfully so, but still.

"Everyone's fine. Everything is not, but everyone is fine." Mickey states. "Can I come in, I need to fucking talk to you."

"Am I gonna need 911 on speed dial first?" Ian asks.

"No. Not that I know of. Why? you plan on saying something to piss me off?" he asks.

"Don't know. I can try, but I have been trying to...and well you're here so obviously I did something." Ian says sadly but he steps out of the way so that Mickey can make his way in the room, and Ian walks towards the couch, his alarm goes off and he groans but goes to the counter and takes the damn pills and sits down. "Just a second," he says as his body adjusts. God, he hates this shit.

"You okay?" Mickey asks, watching Ian, he can see the shaking hands. no wonder he hates this shit so much.

"Yeah, I'm good. Just takes a minute. even after all these years." He says and then he looks at Mickey. "Okay, go ahead, yell away."

"I'm not here to yell at you. you fucktard." Mickey says and Ian looks up. "You have something you want to say to me, don't you? I mean, I can see it, all the time, you're stopping yourself. Why? you were never afraid to say shit before?"

"I promised." He says sadly.

"What?" Mickey asks confused. "You promised you wouldn't talk to me?"

"I promised, that I wouldn't start anything. that I wouldn't lay my shit on you, to absolve myself or whatever, that I wouldn't tell you....it doesn't matter. I just promised." he says.

"Well, that's stupid. So I am asking. Did my lovely sister happen to include what happens if I asked? In this promise." he says already knowing.

"No, because nobody thought you would ever talk to me. Which reminds me...Why are you?"

"Because my son...who has never asked me about you, not since he was like five, asked me about this shit, and you told him you were fucking poison...the fuck?"

"Sorry, he asked."

"Okay, now I'm asking. say all that shit that's in your head."

"You'll probably hit me." Ian states.

"Just fucking spit it out or I will hit you," Mickey says rolling his eyes.

"Alright fine. You want me to talk, then I'll talk, you don't reply until the end. and then give me a minute because I'm gonna break down but fuck it. You want to hear it fine. All of it."

"I'm askin ain't I?"

"I loved you....so fucking much, from the time I was...god fifteen. You and your dirty face and your beautiful eyes. Always fucking glaring at me, and then...god that look. I loved you through all of it. The hatred, the fag bashing from your father, your marriage, your son, and then....then you finally fucking loved me, I knew you did, and I got fucking sick. fuck the fucking everything for that. I lost me, I lost who you loved, and I just wanted him back, I wanted to pretend that it was that simple but it wasn't. I hated the meds, I still fucking hate them. I am poison. I saw it, I saw it in my mother when I was with her, she's toxic but I'm fucking poison. I broke up with you, and I hate myself for it. Every fucking day, but what was I supposed to do? Let you love me? Love this. be my nurse? not my boyfriend, let you give up your life for some disease that overtakes everything. So I let you go, I broke your heart and I broke mine. I tore my own heart out and left it in that yard. and then you left. I fucked up so bad, you left everything, and that was good. Good for you, because I would have tried to get you back. I would have. Fucking almost hopped a plane to California when I found out you were there, took a car instead , got as far as Utah...Lip had to come and get me. He didn't tell Mandy that, she would have killed me, and him. I wasn't even manic, I just...Love you too fucking much. I lost the best thing I ever had when I lost you." Ian is crying violently as he is speaking. "You hate me and I hate me, everybody hates me, I fucking deserve it. I deserve to be alone until I die...and I will be." Ian got up an walks to the window to cry.

  
It was a few minutes when he felt the hand on his arm turning him around and he looked at Mickey, whose eyes weren't mean and angry, they were soft, that hurt more. "Can I talk yet?" Mickey asks and Ian nods.

"Yeah, go for it." He says moving to sit back down. he moves his knees up to his chest and sits on the couch.

"Stop being a fucking martyr. You made a fucking decision. Yes, I loved you, so fucking much and you broke me that day, but you made a decision, for yourself, so fucking own it. You wanna fix it?"

"Of course, but I can't"

"The fuck you can't. You are not poison, you are not fucking Monica. You are medicated, level all that bullshit and what is this dying alone shit. fuck that. Fucking look at me." Ian looks up, the tears falling down his face.

"You broke us, the us that is together, it was almost twenty years ago Ian. Forgive yourself."

"I can't," Ian says shaking his head, crying harder. "I'll try not to show all this shit in my head, while you're here, I'll keep the smile on my face, keep my distance, but I'll never forgive myself for breaking everything good in my life that ever existed. Forgiving myself is like saying I'm okay with it. and I'm fucking not. I'm not okay." the next thing Ian knows, Mickey is on top of him, pulling his arms out of his face.

"Look at me damn it. Forgive yourself. If I forgive you, will you just fucking forgive yourself." he says. he doesn't know why he's saying it but all these years he thought Ian was fine and he was the one that was broken.

"I forgive you, Ian. I fucking forgive you."

"I broke us, I broke everything." Ian is shaking his head.

"Ian...oh god Ian. I didn't know...Fuck, I love you, come on, just forgive yourself. you were sick. come on." he says and Ian sniffs.

"You...what? why...how? I'm unlovable." Ian says and Mickey starts to cry.

"You are not unlovable. Your family loves you."

"They have to." Ian retorts.

"Mandy loves you."

  
"Who knows why."

"Even though Svet fucking wants to shove you down a trash shoot, she loves you. We all fucking love you Ian. and not just the you, before you were sick. Your illness didn't take you away, you're fucking in there. I know you are. We are not leaving this apartment until you forgive yourself Ian. and Mandy will kill us if we aren't at that rehearsal dinner in a couple of days so....come on."

"So you forgive me, and that's that. but you leave in four days, you can fake forgiveness for four days. I can't fake it forever."

"Alright smartass. I will show you. Forgiveness is possible. You broke me, tore me apart, I was a fucking mess, but look at me, I'm fine. My kid is all grown up, and fucking amazing, so what, my epic romance turned out badly, was still fucking epic asshole. So I forgive you. okay?" Ian just rolls his eyes. but he nods anyway.

\--------

  
“Dance lessons. I hate you both right now.” Mickey says staring at Mandy and Lip.

“It'll be fine. You can dance with Lilly.” She says pointing at her shy friend. “Her and Marcus agreed.”

“Wait a minute. She and Marcus are together? So why the fuck aren't they dancing together.”

“Because everyone else had partner but you and orange boy. In wedding party.”

  
“Oh for fuck's sake.” He says shaking his head. “Lily, dance with your man.” He says and she tries to say something. “I'm not a child. You don't have to do that.” He says striding over to Ian.

“But…” Mandy says and Mickey shakes his hand at her.

“Red! Come here.” Mickey yells. Ian looks up and his eyes widen and he looks at Mandy. “Don't look at her,” Mickey says holding out his hand. “Forgiveness remember.” He says softly. “Now fucking dance with me before I have to dance with some chick.”

Ian stands up but still looks over at Mandy who is eyeing him with a shocked face. But Mickey just leads Ian to the floor. “Let's do this.” He says.

They dance for a while, everyone staring at them and Ian keeps looking over. “You don't have to do this,” Ian says finally.

“Oh yes, I do. Have you seen that chick? Just a dance firecrotch, you'll survive it, I'll survive it. Now stop looking at my sister.” He says and Ian keeps dancing.

  
“What was that?” Lip asks Ian after they sit down for a break.

“What?”

“Mickey just willingly, no wait, he made you dance with him and the world didn't fall apart. Tell me what was that.”

“He's on a, I need to forgive myself kick. Thinks if he fakes forgiving me until the wedding, it'll work.” Ian shrugs.

  
“And when did you talk to him?” Lip asks.

“When he showed up at my apartment. Talked, well I talked and cried. Whatever.” Ian says.

“And you know for certain, he's just being nice? Doesn't sound like Mickey to me.”

“But it is like him. He's the same Mickey I loved all those years. He wants me to be okay. But how can I be? After what I did.” He says sadly

“Ian it's been twenty years. Ever think that he just wants it to be over? All the hate? Being able to hear your name and not cringe. Maybe visit his sister for the holidays and not have to decline or refuse because of you? Maybe he just wants to let it go and feel free. Maybe you owe him that. Let him let you go Ian.” And Ian thinks about that. Maybe Lip is right. Maybe Mickey needs to do this for himself.

  
“Everyone cleaned up? Tomorrow is the rehearsal dinner. Party tonight. Don't do anything stupid!!!” Mandy chimes and Mickey rolls his eyes.

When they walk into the bar he groans. South side party like no other. He turns to his son. “Don't do anything stupid.” He says.

“How can I? Can't even drink. Why couldn't we have done this at home.” The boy whines. And Mickey rolls his eyes.

“Come on,” he says making his way to the table where Ian is sitting quietly as Mandy talks to him. “Hey fuckers.” He says sliding next to Ian. “Kid is complaining because he thinks they won't serve him.” And Ian laughs. And he likes that laugh. “Hey red wanna show my boy how it's done.” Ian shrugs.

“Yo Kev!!! Yev needs a beer, he's drinking my share tonight. Load him up!!” He hollers and Kev nods.

“Seriously?”

“Kid you know how long we've been drinking in this bar?” Mickey says. “This is the south side. And you'll be 21 in like a month.”

“Seriously? Fuck I feel old. It seems like yesterday…never mind.” Ian says looking away.

“You are old.”

“You're older than me Mick.”

“Yeah yeah. Go fuck yourself. Isn't it past your bedtime old man.” Mickey says and flips Ian off and Ian laughs again.

“It is actually,” Ian informs him and shrugs. “But I'm the DD. So drink up.” Ian smiles lightly and Mickey smiles back.

  
“What is up with you? Suddenly buddy buddy with Ian?” Mandy asks at the bar looking back at Ian who is laughing with Yevgeny.

"Think it's time to let it go. Forgive and shit. I...I didn't know that he was torturing himself like that. I think we've both paid for the decisions we've made for long enough. Don't you?" He says to his sister.

"This about you wanting him back or something? Gonna forgive him and jump back in the fire?"

"Not about that Mandy. Just want him to be okay. He told Yev he was poison. He hates himself that much. I think it's time to let that shit go Mands. He hurt me, I have been pissed and hating him for 20 years for that shit. and I'm done being angry. I will not be the reason he kills himself in despair. So I forgive him." Mickey states and she nods.

"You still love him," She says knowingly.

"Probably until the day I die. What we had was, kind of fucking amazing at one time. So yeah I do. Doesn't change what's happened, but it is the reason, I just want him to be okay." and she nods. "So no more making him promise to stay away from me okay?" she nods again.

"I know. I just... you never come here because of him and I love Ian, but you're  my brother and I didn't want him to scare you off. I thought maybe if he could...Keep his distance you'd want to come visit me before you die."

"What? You don't like California? it's fuckin amazing there." He states.

"You know what I mean but I'll back off of Ian. As long as you're okay. It'll be good for him to be able to say what he needs to say. " She says sadly and Mickey knows she's probably heard it before.

"He did, and it broke my heart. and he's gonna forgive himself, or I'm gonna take him back to California and throw him in the ocean," he says.

"Maybe that's what he needs.." and she stops at her brothers glare. "Not that, I mean, to get away. He's stable now, maybe a trip to like Indiana or something would do him some good. I'll try to talk him into it." she says. and she hugs her brother and stalks off.

  
“Okay, come on you two,” Ian says shaking his head. Two Milkovich boys are being held up by his arms. Both wasted. “God, I thought carrying one of you was bad.” He says and makes it the couch before letting Mickey lay there for a minute. “I'll come back for you Mick.”

“Always knew you would.” Mickey slurs and Ian freezes but shakes his head and helps Yevgeny up the stairs.

“Don't break his heart again,” Yevgeny says lightly before passing out.

After making it downstairs and slowly getting Mickey up the stairs and into bed, Ian sighs. “Ian?” Mickey whispers.

“Yeah?”

“You ever see the ocean? It's beautiful. Now that we're friends again. You should come and see it.” He says before drifting off. Friends. Ian kind of likes the sound of that.

  
The rehearsal dinner goes off without a hitch and wedding day arrives without incident. “Ready for this?” Ian asks lightly.

“Ain't the one getting married. Been there, hated that.” Mickey fires back laughing.

“Don't remind me. I meant giving your sister away and heading back to that beautiful ocean of yours.” Ian says without realizing it.

“It is pretty amazing. Never thought I'd be into that shit, but it's nice.” Mickey states.

“That's good. I'm happy you found a place like that. You were always better than this shithole.” Ian says honestly.

“So are you,” Mickey says before they walk in.

The wedding is beautiful and Ian finds himself at the airport the next day saying goodbye.

“Bye Yev. It was so good to see you again.” He says and Yev pulls him into a hug. And Ian looks at him shocked.  
Svetlana makes her way to him next. “Be better orange boy. Be you again.” She says and he smiles at her. “And thank you,” she adds.

“For what?” He asks.

“Letting him let go. Resolving without trying to make it more. He needed this. You be good.” She says kissing his cheek.

And then they are gone and it's just Mickey. “Thank you, Mick. Enjoy being home. I expect pictures of that wonderful ocean.” He says softly.

“Oh, you'll get them. Gonna make you so jealous. You forgive yourself yet?” He adds.

“I'm working on it. Thank you. For being the amazing man you always were.” He says and pulls Mickey into a hug. “I'll miss you,”

“Enough of that sappy shit. It's not goodbye forever this time. Friends, yeah?” Mickey says and Ian nods.

“I'd really like that Mickey. I really would.”

“Yeah me too,” Mickey says before heading to the plane.

And Ian watched the love of his life walk away from him but he felt lighter than he had in the last twenty years. Because this wasn't a painful goodbye. It was a new beginning and he had something he had never truly had from Mickey before. A promise of friendship and he was oddly okay with that.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments always welcome and adored. Mysticallygallavich on tumblr. 
> 
> I know this wasn't my typical GallaMickey ending ;) but I thought I'd try this out.


End file.
